Three teens and one man have been indicted in connection with the homicide case, although none are murder charges.

ASHEVILLE – Murder charges will not be filed in the shooting death of an Asheville man earlier this year, District Attorney Ron Moore said Tuesday.

Jamar Deshawn Smith, 27, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest Jan. 15 in the backyard of a home on Aurora Vista Drive after a drug deal turned violent, authorities said. Moore said his office reviewed and discussed the case extensively before charges went before a grand jury.

Moore declined to discuss the specific details that led to Smith’s death seven months ago, citing multiple active cases associated with the incident — three teens and one man have been indicted recently in connection with the case.

Marshall Bruce Johnson, 19, of Nebo, and Lendan Cheves Hoke, 19, of Morganton, were indicted recently on charges that they conspired to sell or deliver marijuana on Jan. 15.

Thomas Lamont Littlejohn, 28, of Erskine Street, was charged with conspiring to commit common law robbery and attempted common law robbery. Felycity Elizabeth Moria Raby, 18, of Larue Street, was also charged with conspiring to commit common law robbery. Smith, Littlejohn and Raby conspired to rob Johnson, according to court records. Smith and Littlejohn are half brothers.

Moore declined to say who shot Smith.

Stephanie Maewether, Smith’s aunt, was upset that murder charges were not levied against anyone involved in the case. She described the marijuana charges as “weak.”

“That’s crazy,” she said. “I would be happier if all of them got charged with murder because all of them were doing illegal things.

“It’s just not right that somebody’s not going to get charged with that boy’s death.”

Maewether said Smith’s death has torn the family apart. She said family members have heard multiple versions of what happened and they don’t know what to believe. Moore said he tried to set up a meeting with Smith’s family prior to the indictments being served but was unsuccessful.

Johnson’s lawyer, Sean Devereux, did not return a message for comment. Hoke, who declined assigned counsel Monday, could not be reached for comment.

Littlejohn, a convicted felon, is in the Buncombe County jail. His bond is $95,000 secured.